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Egypt frees alleged Israeli spy Grapel in swap deal | Egypt frees alleged Israeli spy Grapel in swap deal |
(40 minutes later) | |
Twenty-five Egyptians freed by Israel in a swap have crossed into their home country, in exchange for the release of Israeli-American Ilan Grapel. | |
Mr Grapel boarded a flight from Cairo to Tel Aviv and is expected to arrive later on Thursday. | |
The 27-year-old has been held by Egypt since June after being accused of spying for Israel. | The 27-year-old has been held by Egypt since June after being accused of spying for Israel. |
Israel and his family deny the claims against Mr Grapel, saying he was working for a charity in Cairo. | Israel and his family deny the claims against Mr Grapel, saying he was working for a charity in Cairo. |
'Fine and smiling' | |
Egyptian state television showed some of the Egyptians bowing down in prayer as they arrived on home soil, after passing through the Taba border crossing. | |
Three minors were the first to cross, according to the Associated Press news agency. | |
Interviewed by Egyptian television, two of them said they had been arrested after illegally crossing into Israel to sell contraband cigarettes. They said they were not ill-treated while detained in Israel. | |
Another of those freed, Rabia Suleiman, had been serving a four-year jail term on drugs charges. | |
Asked what he would do on his return, he said: "I'll come here and find any job, and I won't go back." | |
Meanwhile, Mr Grapel was handed over to Israeli officials in Cairo, who accompanied him on a flight heading to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport. | |
Israel Hasson, an Israeli lawmaker who has been involved in the negotiations, told AP that Mr Grapel was "fine" and "smiling". | |
On his arrival, he will meet his family and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. | |
There is widespread scepticism in Egypt that Mr Grapel really was an Israeli spy, correspondents say. | |
He was arrested on 12 June and accused of trying to stir up sectarian strife in Cairo on behalf of the Israeli spy agency Mossad. | He was arrested on 12 June and accused of trying to stir up sectarian strife in Cairo on behalf of the Israeli spy agency Mossad. |
His relatives say he made no attempt to disguise his identity, including the fact that he had served in the Israeli army during its war in Lebanon in 2006. | |
Israel's security cabinet approved the exchange on Tuesday. | |
Israel has stressed that none of the Egyptians were involved in security-related crimes. | |
On Wednesday the Israeli Supreme Court rejected an appeal from a victims' rights group against the swap, saying it was a political decision outside the court's jurisdiction. | |
A similar appeal against the release of Sgt Gilad Shalit was also rejected. | A similar appeal against the release of Sgt Gilad Shalit was also rejected. |
Last week Israel released the first batch of more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the Israeli soldier. | Last week Israel released the first batch of more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the Israeli soldier. |
He had been held by the militant group, Hamas, which controls Gaza, since 2006. | He had been held by the militant group, Hamas, which controls Gaza, since 2006. |
It appears the deal to release Mr Grapel was negotiated around the same time as the Shalit exchange, says the BBC's Kevin Connolly in Jerusalem. | It appears the deal to release Mr Grapel was negotiated around the same time as the Shalit exchange, says the BBC's Kevin Connolly in Jerusalem. |
It shows that Egypt is still capable of dealing with Israel on business-like terms and reminds regional rivals such as Turkey and Saudi Arabia that Cairo's influence is real, despite the change of government, our correspondent says. | It shows that Egypt is still capable of dealing with Israel on business-like terms and reminds regional rivals such as Turkey and Saudi Arabia that Cairo's influence is real, despite the change of government, our correspondent says. |